Electrical terminal



3 c. E.AHANNY 2,168,016

ELECTRICAL TERMINAL Filed Jan. 51, 1938 INVENTOR Patented Au 1, 1939 UNITED STATES ELECTRICAL TERMINAL Charles E. Hanny, Plainville, Conn., assignor to The Trumbull Electric Manufacturing Company, Plainville, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application January 31, 1938, Serial No. 187,874

7 Claims. 01. 200-134) My invention relates to devices such as are frequently employed as clamps or anchorage devices for fuses and the like having fiat or approximately fiat terminal members.

The main object is to provide a simple but rugged and effective terminal.

In its simplest form only two parts are required, i. e. ,a base with an integral wall projecting therefrom and a tapered post screw threaded into the base with its axis at right angles to the base or slightly inclined relative to the surface of the adjacent correlated wall so as to provide for clamping a terminal or a similar device between the wall and the tapered surface of the clamping post.

Fig. l is a plan view showing a fuse with terminal blades held in a clamped connection involvingone form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section of one terminal.

Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of one terminal of a fuse with the parts of a clamp.

Fig. 4 is an end view showing amodified form of clamp.

Figs. 5 and 6 are side views of modified forms of clamp posts.

Fig. 7 is a side viewv of another modification of the device.

The base or terminal 10 has a wall I I projecting therefrom, preferably integral therewith.

This base is adapted to be secured to a suitable support l2 in any suitable manner for instance by means of a screw or bolt l3 passing through the extension l4.

The clamp post l5 has a long tapered head portion and has its smaller end l6 screw threaded for adjustable connection with the base so that the blade or end I! of a fuse or the like may be clamped or wedged between the wall. II and the tapered post IS. The axis of the screw threaded post as shown in Fig. 2 is inclined somewhat with respect to the bearing surface of the wall so that as the screw is tightened it will draw the tapered post snugly against the blade I! and thus press it firmly against the stationary wall. The rota- 5 tion of thetapered surface of the post against the blade I! scrapes the surfaces so as to ensure a clean contact surface.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 3 the axis of the tapered screw threaded post is at right angles to the plane of the base and the bearing surface of the wall is inclined so as to be parallel to the surface of the tapered head of the screw or clamping post l5.

In the form shown in Fig. 4 the wall It is at right angles to the base III while the screw post l5 has its axis at a slight angle relative to the base. The posts thus far described have screw slots of the usual type for screw driver actuation. In Fig. 5 I have shown a post l5a having a slight bulge or rib around the center so as to 5 engage and clamp a terminal at approximately the center of the terminal against a fiat surface or against a concave surface. This may also be used to clamp a fiat blade and readily adjust or adapt a terminal or blade to inequalities in the 10 fiat surface and still make a firm contact. This post has a hex-head instead of a screw driver slot.

In Fig; 6 the post l5 is slightly concave. This form of head may be used, for instance, in connection with a correspondingly convex wall for clamping a relatively thin and flexible terminal. This form shows, ahead adapted to receive a socket wrench (not shown).

In Fig. 7 the tapered clamping member l5 is 20 v formed separately and slides freely on the shank of the stud or screw l6. When the stud is tightened or screwed into the base it draws the tapered member toward the base and will clamp a fuse or relay blade against the side wall ll. 25

From the foregoing it will be seen that the device of my invention is very simple and easy to adjust. The fuse or other blade or terminal may be quickly and easily inserted and secured in line contact parallel with the adjacent abutment surface of the base wall so that a flat terminal 45 may be clamped between said wall and said tapered head by rotating said clamp member and causing a line contact of the lateral surface of its tapered head to rotate against the inserted flat terminal. 2. A two-part electric terminal having a base with a single wall projecting therefrom and having a substantially flat bearing surface extending at an obtuse angle relative to the main plane of the base and a clamp post having a rotatable tapered head and a threaded engagement with the base and means for drawing the tapered portion of the post in a direction towards the main plane of the base so as to clamp a flat terminal between the wall and an extended line contact of the head of the tapered clamp post.

3. A two-part electric terminal including a metallic base having a single upstanding wall with a substantially fiat bearing surface; a self supporting clamp member having a screw threaded end adjustable in the base and a tapered rotatable head pressure portion having the pressure portion of its surface opposite to said wall and extending parallel to the bearing surface thereof, said clamp member being movable toward the base for clamping a substantially fiat member 'between said wall and the adjacent parallel side of said tapered pressure member.

4. A two-part electric terminal including a base having a single metallic wall projecting therefrom and inclined at an obtuse angle to the plane of the base, a clamp screw having a conically tapered head and rotatably mounted in the base and having the conical portion of its surface opposite said wall and rotatable parallel thereto and means for moving the clamp screw toward the base to grip a flat conductor against the wall.

51 A two-part electric terminal for a flat blade of a fuse including a metallic ibase having a screw threaded opening, a single integral wall formed on the base extending at substantially right angles to the base and having a substantially flat bearing surface forming a clamping surface for a fuse blade and a movable and adjustable member on the base adjacent said wall, said movable member including an elongated tapered body portion terminating at one end in a screw threaded portion engaged in the screw threaded opening in the base, said wall and said movable member being arranged so as to cause a wedging action against the flat blade of a fuse placed therebetween when the adjustable memsaid wall and said clamp member being ar-' ranged relatively so as to cause a wedging action against the flat blade of a fuse placed there: between when the clamp member is operated and means formed on the other end of the tapered body portion to receive a tool for actuating said clamp member, said clamp member being free of support opposite said bearing surface.

7. An electric terminal including a metallic base having an upstanding wall with a substantially flat bearing surface, a clamp member comprising a screw threaded stud adjustable in the base and-a tapered pressure portion on said stud and having a portion of its pressure surface adjacent said wall parallel to the bearing surface thereof, said clamp member being movable toward the base for clamping a substantially flat conductor between said wall and said tapered pressure member, said clamp member being sufficiently strong to provide the necessary lateral pressure without additional support.

CHARLES E. HANNY. 

